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My dog won't stop licking her bleeding paws. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Female | spayed | 5 years and 1 month old

My dog wont stop licking her paws and she recently started bleeding. What do i do?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on August 17th, 2016

Poor pup! If Princess is licking her paws to the point that they are bleeding, this is definitely not normal. The most common cause of excessive licking or chewing of the paws is an allergy problem - either seasonal environmental allergies or food allergies can cause this. Other possibilities would include a bacterial or fungal skin infection in this area, or even skin mites (mange). I would recommend having Princess examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, I would recommend getting an e-collar (plastic cone) for her to wear to prevent her from continuing to lick her paws and make things worse.

15Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on March 31st, 2018
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided.

There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies.

Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market).

If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests.

Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Tomasz Wnuk
Veterinarian
Published on July 8th, 2020
Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The paw could be infected and your dog may be making it worse by continues licking. Please, try and stop him from licking the leg (head cone or bandaging the paw are the best options). A visit at your local vets is strongly recommended as your dog will likely need a course of antibiotics tablets to get better.
4Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Shaneez Wallani, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 6th, 2019
I recommend booking an appointment with a veterinarian to have Ozo’s paw evaluated, as it sounds like it is causing him pain. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to your pup without consulting with your vet. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough exam, and may recommend imaging to check for any fractures or growths that may be causing the licking. In some cases broken toenails or objects embedded in the paw can also be the cause, but the location seems to be the middle of the paw, making a nail problem less likely. The only way to tell is to have Ozo seen by a vet. Your vet can also prescribe safe medication to help with the pain if needed. I hope Ozo feels better soon! I recommend a longer/ larger e-collar if he is still able to lick at the area, as allowing him to lick at it may increase the risk of infection.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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